Mike Mansfield's Approach to U.S.-Western Europe Relations 1946-1971

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1990 Mike Mansfield's Approach to U.S.-Western Europe Relations 1946-1971 William A. D'Alton The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation D'Alton, William A., "Mike Mansfield's Approach to U.S.-Western Europe Relations 1946-1971" (1990). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 9277. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/9277 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mike and Maureen MANSFIELD LIBRARY Copying allowed as provided under provisions of the Fair Use Section of the U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW, 1976. Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertoken only with the author’s written consent. MontanaUniversity of MIKE MANSFIELD'S APPROACH TO U.S.-WESTERN EUROPE RELATIONS, 1946-1971 by William A. D*Alton B.A., University of Montana, 1986 presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1990 Approved by: ean, Graduate School Date / UMI Number: EP72585 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI EP72585 Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 D'Alton, William A., M.A. , August 1990 History Mike Mansfield’s Approach to U.S.-Western Europe Relations, 1946-1971 (107 pp.) Director: Michael S. Mayer This thesis examines Congressman and Senator Mike Mansfield's approach to the foreign policy of the United States in regard to Western Europe, particularly with respect to American forces stationed in Europe. Mansfield's views on foreign affairs grew out of his belief that the United States must act as a responsible world power, using its powers to help create a world order based on equanimity and consent of nations, not on interference and contrivance. Thus, after Mansfield was convinced that Western Europe had recovered from the devastation of World War Two, he devoted his attention to the creation of a world order which granted more responsibility to Western Europe. Mansfield was convinced that if Western Europe assumed a larger burden in world affairs and more of the responsibilities of securing peace,the world would be a better, safer place. Ultimately, Mansfield measured the success or failure of U.S. foreign policy based upon Western Europe's role in world affairs. If Western Europe acted as a united force, the United States would avoid the bull in the china shop syndrome. Thus, Mansfield promoted U.S. policies which supported an integrated and independent Europe. Toward that end, he gently, and sometimes not so gently, pushed the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations to move in that direction. The first part of this thesis examines the development of Mansfield's approach to U.S.-European relations; the second part explores Mansfield's response to the Berlin crises of the late 1950s and early 1960s; and the third part outlines Mansfield's effort to lobby those in charge of foreign policy to make some fundamental changes in the foreign policy of the United States. CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ........................................................ ii INTRODUCTION .................................................... 1 CHAPTER ONE - THE FORMATION OF MIKE MANSFIELD’S APPROACH TO U.S.-WESTERN EUROPE RELATIONS, 1946-1959 ............. 5 CHAPTER TWO - BERLIN: THE TURNING POINT ...................... 36 CHAPTER THREE - THE MANSFIELD AMENDMENT ...................... 69 CONCLUSION...................................................... 89 ENDNOTES Introduction . ......................................... 94 Chapter O n e .............................. 94 Chapter T w o ................................................ 98 Chapter Three ............................................. 101 Conclusion ............................................. 103 SOURCES CONSULTED ............................................. 104 iii No, he did not solve all the problems, because often they were unsolvable. The point is that he always tried— and hard— and the larger point is, we always knew it. — K. Ross Toole INTRODUCTION Even before winning Montana’s Western District Congressional seat in 1942, Mansfield, as a lecturer in history at the University of Montana, made a habit of meticulously studying and analyzing foreign affairs. He once wrote: "It has been said that the two great loves of my life are the University and the study of foreign affairs. I readily acknowledge a lasting liaison with the first and a deep absorption in the second."^ From his "deep absorption" in foreign affairs, whether as a hobby, as a teacher, or as a politician, he developed, for his day, a unique approach to U.S. foreign policy. This thesis analyzes Mansfield’s approach to U.S. policy in Europe. As a congressman, Mansfield met the challenges of the Cold War by effectively combining moralistic yearnings with the practical pursuit of national self-interest. Such an approach to foreign relations has made it impossible to categorize Mansfield’s statesmanship in white or black; it would be misleading to label Mansfield’s approach to foreign affairs simply as realpolitik, purely idealistic, partisan or isolationist. Mansfield would have had it no other way, for he believed labels and stereotypes impeded the success of a statesman. Rather, to Mansfield, a successful statesman and a successful foreign policy needed to be flexible. To ensure success in foreign affairs, he believed it necessary to have many options, to adapt policy to changing situations, and to search constantly for new solutions for old problems. 1 2 As a result of this approach to foreign affairs, some have considered Mansfield a maverick, outside of the mainstream, and have regarded his approach potentially detrimental to the security of the United States. On the other hand, others have argued that his real genius as a statesman lay in his maverick approach to foreign policy. This thesis will stress the latter evaluation in its examination of Mansfieldfs approach to Western Europe and the United States' relations from 1946-1971. The task is complex due to the complexities of Mansfield’s approach to and his extensive involvement in issues of foreign policy. Mansfield's attitudes are best demonstrated by his approach to U.S.-West European relations in view of the Cold War because of its centrality to U.S. foreign policies. Mansfield's approach to U.S.-West European relations will be divided into three parts. The first part encompasses Mansfield's views on the United States' methods to ensure both world peace and its own security in the postwar period from 1946-1951. Mansfield's views on the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, military assistance to Western Europe and the United Nations will be explored in order to demonstrate Mansfield's perspective on the creation of a postwar order and the shaping of the future. Particular emphasis will be placed on Mansfield's analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each program or institution and his warnings about the potential shortfalls of U.S. Cold War policies. The second part will outline his questioning whether established Cold War policies did in fact guarantee world peace and security for 3 the long term. By narrowly focusing on Mansfield*s reaction to the East-West confrontation over Berlin from 1959 to 1962, it will show that Mansfield offered alternatives to American foreign policy in order to break the deadlock between East and West. After Berlin, Mansfield continued to question whether the arms race, a large standing army (especially overseas), and a steady stream of military and economic aid to countries around the globe had provided for America*s security. He worried that it taxed the resources of the United States. Because of that concern, he questioned the extent to which these Cold War policies secured Western security for the long term. The third part of this thesis will explore Mansfield's attempt to turn the Senate's attention to American foreign policy. Specifically, it will examine the background of, and the debate in the Senate over, Mansfield's attempt to legislate the withdrawal of 150,000 U.S. troops in Western Europe. It should be noted that Senator Mike Mansfield held a number of important posts during his twenty-four years in the Senate. The most respected and important job he held was Senate Majority Leader. He also cherished his seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. While both positions gave him great influence on U.S. foreign policy, by no means did he have the power to formulate or to determine American

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